CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 9
Zeniff is sent to spy on the Lamanites--Zeniff's army rebels against him--Most of the army is killed in a
civil war--The Lamanite king (Laman) gives his land to Zeniff--God helps Zeniff and his army slaughter the Lamanites.
(200-187 BCE)
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1I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the Nephites, and
having had a knowledge of the
land of Nephi, or of the land of our fathers' first inheritance, and
having been sent as a spy among the Lamanites that
I might spy out their forces, that our army might come upon them and destroy them -- but when I saw that which was good
among them I was desirous that they should not be destroyed.
I, Zeniff, was sent to spy on the Lamanites so that our army could destroy them.
But I discovered that there were some good Lamanites, whom I didn't want to destroy.
2 Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness for I would that our ruler should make a
treaty with them; but he being an austere and a bloodthirsty man commanded that I should be slain; but I was rescued
by the shedding of much blood; for father fought against father, and brother against brother, until the greater number
of our army was destroyed in the wilderness; and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of Zarahemla,
to relate that tale to their wives and their children.
I suggested that we make a treaty with them, but our ruler, who was a bloodthirsty man, ordered me to be killed.
However, some of the Nephites agreed with me, which led to infighting where father fought against father, and brother
fought against brother.
Most of our army died in the fighting. The rest of us returned to Zarahemla to tell the story to our wives and children.
3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers,
collected as many as were desirous to
go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but
we were smitten
with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.
We started our journey again into the wilderness to inherit the land of our fathers, but we were smitten
with disease and famine, since we didn't remember God well enough.
4 Nevertheless, after many days' wandering in the wilderness we pitched our tents in the place where our
brethren were slain, which was near to the land of our fathers.
But after many days of wandering, we pitched our tents where so many of our army were previously killed.
5And it came to pass that
I went again with four of my men into the city, in unto
the king, that I might know of the disposition of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my people and
possess the land in peace.
6 And I went in unto the king, and
he covenanted with me that I might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and
the land of Shilom.
I and four of my men went to meet the Lamanite king.
7 And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the land, and I and my people went into the
land that we might possess it.
He told his people to leave so that we could possess the land of Lehi-Nephi.
8 And we began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of the city,
yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom.
We began building and rebuilding the cities of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom.
9 And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of
seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat,
and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and
prosper in the land.
We planted all kinds of seeds: barley, corn, wheat, neas, and sheum. [1]
And we began to prosper and multiply on the land.
10 Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring my people into bondage, that he
yielded up the land that we might possess it.
11 Therefore it came to pass, that
after we had dwelt in the land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the land, and that they could not overpower
them and bring them into bondage.
Laman, the king of the Lamanites, only gave us the land so that he could enslave us.
12 Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring us into bondage,
that they might glut themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might feast themselves upon the flocks of
our fields.
The Lamanites were lazy people; they just wanted to live off of our labor, so they could feast on our flocks and fields.
13 Therefore it came to pass that king Laman began to stir
up his people that they should contend with my
people; therefore there began to be wars and contentions in the land.
King Laman riled up his people against us.
14 For, in the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi, away on the south of the land of Shilom,
when my people were watering and feeding their flocks, and tilling their lands, a numerous host of Lamanites came upon
them and began to slay them, and to take off their flocks, and the corn of their fields.
In the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi, the Lamanites began to kill us and steal our animals and crops.
15Yea, And it came to pass that they fled, all that were not overtaken,
even into the city of Nephi, and did call upon me for protection.
The people fled to the city of Nephi and called me for help.
16And it came to pass that
I did arm them with bows, and with
arrows, with swords, and with cimeters and with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and I and my
people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle.
I armed them with bows, arrows, swords, scimitars, [2] clubs, slings, and whatever other weapons we could invent.
17 Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people
did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a
remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.
We went in to battle against the Lamanites, crying to the Lord for help.
18 And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did
go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them
even until we had driven them out of our land.
God heard us and helped us kill 3043 Lamanites, driving them out of our land.
19 And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their dead. And behold, to our great sorrow and
lamentation, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain.
279 of our soldiers died in the battle.